Z A Holiday Tryst Complete
by Fanatical Writer
Summary: When Penelope flies to Chicago for her brother's Christmas wedding, she ends up having to bunk with his fiancée's 'player' brother due to room constraints. Will Penelope be able to sidestep him, or will she fall prey to his charms? Slightly AU For klcm
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit for C.C. Baptiste written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**I hope you enjoy it and I hope you're having happy holidays! – Angie**

"You're putting me in a room with a man I don't even know?" Penelope hissed angrily.

Her brother gently took her arm and steered her away from the crowd of people they'd arrived with, many of whom she'd never met, to a secluded corner. "Penny," Payton began in a low tone. "This is sort of last minute and—"

"You started planning six months ago!" she interrupted.

"Yes, but…" Her brother sighed in resignation. "_I_ thought Desiree booked the rooms, and _she_ thought I booked the rooms, so…the rooms didn't _actually_ get booked until a few weeks ago."

Penelope lifted her hands up in front of her, palms facing the ceiling. "Can't you just put me up in a different hotel?" she asked anxiously.

Payton shook his head. "We got a discount because there were so many of us," he explained.

"I'll pay myself!" she argued.

"I'd like to have you in the same hotel as the rest of us," he insisted. "It's going to be easier to have everyone here if we have to make last minute plans."

"Which you seem to be an expert at," she muttered.

"Pen, please," Payton said.

Penelope sighed. She supposed she should be a little more flexible. This was, after all, her brother's wedding. But staying in a suite with a man she'd never before met? He was going to owe her for this one.

"Fine," she said huffily.

Payton nodded. "Good. And...just a few things you should know."

Oh, she didn't like the sound of _that_.

"Des warned me that her brother—his name is Derek—has a reputation for being a bit of a player," he cautioned her.

Penelope snorted. There was no such thing as being a _bit_ of a player. The man was obviously a pig.

"But I'm not worried about sharing your room with him because that is exactly the kind of man you don't like," he went on.

"Pay, it's fine," she said with a sigh. "I…guess I'm gonna have to go buy some pajamas."

"Why?" Payton asked with a frown.

She waited for a moment, but it never came to him. "Your baby sister sleeps in the buff, Pay," she informed him.

"_Penelope_!" he exclaimed. "Ewww!"

* * *

The bellhop showed Penelope to her room, and after choosing the bed closest to the window, she began to unpack her suitcases.

Her brother and his fiancée lived in Boston, but he was getting married in Chicago, where she was from. They'd met in college, and when they'd decided to get married, they'd wanted to do it quickly. Christmas time made sense because all of her family got together then anyway, and this would mean they wouldn't have to make a separate trip for the wedding. Unfortunately, the only one of her brothers that was going to be able to make the event was Preston. He and his wife, Helena, didn't have any kids yet, and being away from their house for the holidays wasn't as big of a deal for them. They'd be flying in on the eve of the wedding, and she couldn't wait to see them.

With a sigh, Penelope put her last article of clothing in the dresser beside her bed, zipped her suitcase back up, and then put it in the closet, uneasily awaiting her roommates' arrival.

* * *

"She's not thrilled about having to room with you," Desiree warned her brother.

Derek flashed his sister his most disarming grin. "That's because she doesn't know me," he said confidently.

"Derek, I swear to God…you _can't_ sleep with her!" Desiree said shrilly. "Payton would kill you!"

"Relax," he told his sister.

"I mean it!" she said adamantly. "If you charm the pants off this woman…" She let her voice trail off, hoping her brother understood the gravity of the situation.

"I am _not_ so hard up for a woman that I'm just going to take the first who comes along," he told his sister. "You know how picky I am."

"Right," Desiree said dryly. "Them having to be female, and all."

Derek chuckled as he pulled his sister into his arms. "I missed you, Des."


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit for C.C. Baptiste written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! You guys are the best!**

Derek Morgan stepped off the elevator and headed for his room...number 343. He slid the keycard into the lock and waited for the click, then pushed the door open. He stopped in his tracks as he walked into the room, taking in the view. His roommate, whoever she was, was down on her knees beside her bed searching for something. If the sway of her generous ass was any indication, it had fallen way under the bed. He heard an 'oomph,' and then a squeal as she found what she was looking for. Against his better judgment, he cleared his throat, and to his dismay, her ass stopped moving.

"Hello?" she called in a small voice.

"Penelope Garcia, I assume," he said in an amused tone.

She quickly made her way to her feet, and spun around, a shiny earring dangling in her hand. Apparently she'd found what she'd been looking for.

The second she turned to face him, two words flew into his mind: buxom…and blonde. She was pushing her hair away from her face, which was red from having sprung up so quickly, and she was wearing what was quite possibly the lowest cut v-neck shirt he'd ever laid eyes on. The woman was sexy as hell.

And _he_ was in a heap of trouble.

* * *

Penelope opened her mouth to speak, but really…there were no words. The man was statuesque. He had _the_ most amazing arms; on one of his biceps there was a tattoo. It was just peeking out from underneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. Penelope had always been of the mind that someone shouldn't have tattoos unless they could do them justice; she had a feeling that _his_ had their fair share of justice…and then some. She had to hold herself back from tearing his shirt off just to find out.

His chest gave way to a tapered waist and the fabric of his jeans molded perfectly to his upper thighs. She could just imagine the muscles beneath the fabric.

She lifted her eyes to his face. He was standing there smirking, and she knew that he was fully aware of how attractive he was. And that was when Preston's words came back to her: Desiree's brother has a reputation for being a bit of a player.

That was like cold water being thrown in her face; Penelope had enough experience with players to know that she didn't want to deal with another one. "That's me," she said.

"Derek Morgan," he said, stepping forward and extending his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You, too," she said, reaching forward. As soon as he clasped her hand in his, Penelope's body started thrumming. She tried to jerk her hand away, but he wouldn't let her. Not until he'd given it a few hearty shakes. When he finally let go, she wiped her hand on pants as if she could get rid of the aftereffect, but it didn't work.

Luckily, Derek wasn't paying attention. He'd slung his bag on the bed and began unpacking; it took him all of two minutes. "First time in Chicago?" he asked conversationally.

"Yes," she answered, as she sat down on the edge of her bed, her fingers still tingling.

"You're gonna love it here," he informed her. "Planning on doing anything special?"

"You mean aside from attending my brother's wedding?" she asked dryly.

He chuckled at her retort. "I guess a wedding _is_ pretty special," he conceded.

"Of course it is," she said. "It's forever."

He shrugged. "We hope, anyway," he said cynically.

"Wha…'we hope?'" she asked.

Derek was an eternal optimist; he believed in love. He just believed in lots of fun in the meantime. There was no doubt in his mind that if his father was alive, his parents would still not only be married, but crazy in love with each other. But it was just too much fun to goad her. "It's no secret that divorce is running rampant in the Unites States today," he reminded her.

"That's because of—" Penelope started in a rush, then forced herself to stop and take a deep breath. _This is Desiree's brother _she reminded herself.

"Because of what?" he asked, amused at her outburst.

She shook her head. "Nothing," she said, biting her tongue.

He shrugged. "Maybe it's because of my job," he continued. "Unfortunately marriages don't seem to last in my line of work. I'm an FBI agent."

Penelope had to hold back a peal of laughter. Was this guy for real? His phony humility was ludicrous. Did women really fall for this crap? If they did, she was embarrassed for her entire gender. But she decided to have a little fun and play it up. She lifted a hand to her throat and batted her eyelashes. "An FBI agent? Like…a real one?" she asked.

He nodded with a slight grin. She was sure it was just another attempt at false modesty.

"So…you have a gun and a badge and everything?" she asked, pretending to be impressed.

"Well…I'm not exactly sure what 'everything' is, but as far as the badge and the gun go, yes."

"Can I see them?" she asked.

He reached into the front of his bag and pulled his badge out, then handed it to her. She studied the picture on the front; he was staring right into the lens, a challenging gleam in his eyes. He looked so…bad ass. She thrust the badge back at him and stood up. "I have to go shopping," she announced.

He awkwardly grabbed his badge and tucked it back into the front of his bag. "Do you have any idea where to go?" he asked.

She looked around the room frantically for her purse. "I'm just…gonna grab a cab and tell 'em to take me to the mall," he said.

"Which one? You know, if you want—"

"I'm fine," she abruptly cut in as she grabbed her purse off the bed and left. As soon as she pulled the door closed, she sagged against it. She'd tried to tease him and mock him with the whole badge line, but it had backfired. She'd been completely sucked in. Was her brother _crazy_? Putting her in a room with that…chocolate God? He was like her favorite dessert…she _knew_ she didn't need it, but she wasn't sure she was going to be able to help herself.

* * *

Penelope meandered around the mall for a while in search of the pajamas she was going to need for her stay in Chicago. It took longer than it normally would have, as everyone was doing last minute Christmas shopping and the lines were long. She was tempted to buy head to toe flannel just to be safe, but she didn't want to spend her money on something she was never going to wear again. So instead she settled on a few reasonably priced conservative nightgowns that were more her style.

Before she'd arrived back at the hotel, her brother had called to let her know what time everyone was meeting in the dining room. When she'd gone back to her room to take care of her purchases, Derek wasn't there. She'd seen him at dinner, but luckily he'd been seated at another table. She'd tried to not think about him, but she couldn't help it; her gaze had wandered over to him on more than one occasion. He constantly had that charming grin on his face, and she could see that he loved his family, especially his mother.

She really needed to come to her own conclusions about Derek, not judge him based on what his sister and her brother had said. After all, how well did Payton really know _her_? Surely Derek couldn't be _that_ bad.

* * *

Penelope was singing a different tune at two o'clock that morning, when the door to her hotel room flew open and Derek stumbled in…a woman on each arm.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit for C.C. Baptiste written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews for last chapter! - Angie**

Penelope was jarred awake by a loud bang just outside of her hotel room. The door flew open, and she heard a low chuckle followed by giggling. Propping herself up on her elbows, she popped one eye open, then the other. It was her roommate, and the cad had a woman on each arm. "Oh, hell, no," she muttered sleepily.

She reached for the lamp, and as the light illuminated the room, she jumped out of bed. "_What_ is going on?" she demanded, her voice hoarse from sleep. But she wasn't so out of it that she didn't notice how striking the women were. Of course, she'd expected nothing less.

"I just thought we'd have a little after party," Derek stated innocently, his eyes roving over her body.

God, weren't two women enough for him? "In _here_?" she croaked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Where else?" he asked with a shrug.

His gaze was still wandering over her flesh and Penelope self consciously crossed her arms over her chest. The nightgown she was wearing, sprinkled with little sprigs of mistletoe, hadn't seemed so short on the mannequin; the v neck suddenly felt too low, the black lace just above her breasts too thin.

She gave him a challenging look, and then brought her gaze first to one woman, then the other. "Let me tell you a little something about this one. The man is a player. _Play-er,_" she said, enunciating each syllable carefully. "So if you're looking for a one night stand, then you've got your guy. By all means, go for it." She shook her head. "But not in my room."

The three just stared at her for a moment before giving in to their hilarity. The chocolate skinned woman on Derek's right threw her head back, the mirth overtaking her. "Oh, Derek," she said between gasps. "Can I tell her?" she asked.

"Oh, hell no," he said smirking. "I think it's going to be much more fun if _I'm _the one to break the news." He fixed his gaze on Penelope. "Baby Girl, have you met my _cousin_…Gina…and her girlfriend, Janette?"

Penelope's mouth opened, but nothing came out. "Oh—" she said in a small voice. "Your…cous…her girl…I…I'm _really_ glad to meet you," she sputtered, rushing forward to shake Gina's hand.

Instead of extending her own, the woman looked Penelope up and down. "You were right," she said, turning to Derek with an approving nod. "Smokin' hot bod."

Derek turned his gaze to Penelope and grinned widely; she stepped back, her jaw dropping. Aside from Desiree, was the entire family like this?

Gina laughed at her reaction. "I think we're gonna leave now," she announced. "Your roommate doesn't really seem like she's into company." She leaned up and kissed Derek on the cheek. "See you tomorrow, Cuz," she said, turning to go. Derek closed the door behind them, then turned to face Penelope, whose cheeks were on fire.

"You set that up," she said accusingly.

Derek grinned brazenly. "Yeah. Kinda."

"Why?"

"Because you had your mind made up about me before I even walked through that door," he informed her.

She stood there for a moment before speaking. What was it about him that rendered her speechless? "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I may have misjudged you. It's just…my brother sort of warned me about you before you arrived, and…I guess I based your character entirely on that."

Derek chuckled. "Smart man," he commented.

"But you said—"

"Do you want to know what I'm doing right now?" he interrupted.

"Uh…I'm not sure," Penelope said cautiously.

"I'm trying to picture what's underneath all that mistletoe," he told her, waving a hand towards her black silky nightgown. "And I'm _damn_ disappointed that because of my proactive sister, I'm probably not going to get the chance to find out. Good night, Penelope."

With that, the man stripped down to his boxers and crawled into his own bed, switching the lamp off and leaving her standing there in the dark.

* * *

It was a long time before Penelope found sleep. He may not have gotten a peek of what was beneath the mistletoe, but she'd gotten her glimpse all right. His abs were like steel, and she'd seen the tattoo he had on his arm. Who knew lions were such sexy creatures? Which brought her to another thought—what would it take to make Derek Morgan roar?

* * *

Penelope slept right until her alarm went off the next morning. When she awoke, Derek was sitting up on his fully made bed, showered, shaved and dressed, reading a book.

He looked over when he heard her mattress shift. "Good morning, Roomie," he said cheerfully.

"Morning," she grumbled.

He grinned as her eyes opened and she waited for them to focus. "Not a morning person, I take it?"

She sat up and shook her head as she stretched her arms over her head, the fabric of her nighty stretching tight across her chest. Derek tried to look away, but when her nipples hardened, he was unable to tear his gaze from her. To his dismay, she dropped her arms with a groan then collapsed back down onto her mattress.

"How do you take your coffee?" he asked with a chuckle.

Penelope closed her eyes with a sigh, and pulling the blankets up to her chin, snuggled underneath them once again. "Two creams," she answered, eyes still closed.

She heard him as he got up and shuffled around, but she wasn't interested in him first thing in the morning, especially when he was fully dressed. She heard his mattress shift as he sat back down on his bed, and took a deep breath…and inhaled the scent of coffee. Her eyes flew open and fell on the mug on her nightstand. She sat up and eyed at Derek suspiciously. "Why are you being nice to me?" she asked.

He grinned at her as he looked up from his book. "Because you were such a great audience last night," he informed her. "I figured I owed you."

She looked at him for a minute before grabbing the mug off the nightstand. "You _do_ owe me," she agreed, then took a deep swallow of the coffee. She sighed in contentment, amazed that he'd gotten it just right.

She heard Derek's cell phone ring, and after a short conversation, he flipped it shut. "Everyone is meeting in the dining room for breakfast," he told her.

"Right now?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I have to get dressed," she said as she pushed the blankets to the foot of the bed and stood up.

"_Or…_you could wear that," he suggested hopefully.

Penelope glared at him. "Just when I was starting to like you," she muttered on her way to the bathroom.

She could still hear him laughing when she closed the door behind her.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! My apologies for the delay in getting this one posted; it's the second draft I wrote, and I think it flows much better with the story!**

"How's my brother treating you?" Sarah asked with an amused grin later that afternoon.

Penelope had just been formally introduced to Derek and Desiree's older sister a little while ago, and like her siblings, she had a charming grin and a lively personality. Penelope tugged her bridesmaids dress up over her thighs and shoulders for her last fitting, and waited for Sarah to zip it up. "Umm…I don't really…we haven't…been in the room that much. Just last night."

"That's usually all it takes," Desiree said dryly from the little space off the fitting area.

Sarah chuckled. "Yep. One night."

Penelope frowned as she looked at Sarah. "You don't think much of your brother, do you?" she asked curiously. Penelope adored her brothers and would never 'warn' someone to stay away from them.

"Oh, we love Derek heaps," Desiree argued. "But we've also seen the trail of broken hearts he's left in his wake. We're not oblivious to his…charisma," she finished with a giggle.

"_Charisma_," Penelope said. "Interesting word choice."

"We could say slut, but that would just be mean," Sarah teased.

As Penelope walked over to the mirror to look at her reflection, she couldn't help but think that that _would_ be mean. From what she'd seen of Derek, he seemed like a pretty nice guy. She'd done her best to razz him, and still he'd maintained his good-natured personality. Oh, he'd walked in last night with those women hoping to get a rise out of her, but Penelope was able to recognize that she deserved that. He was right—she'd had him sized up before she'd even met him. And the man she'd built up in her head wasn't very flattering. But he'd brought her coffee in bed, for God's sake. Anyone who brought her coffee—especially in bed-was OK in her book.

"Oh, my _God_!" Desiree said as she walked into the fitting area. "Penelope! You look…"

"Bloopy?" Penelope asked with a frown. The dress hugged her hips too tightly to be comfortable, and it elevated her breasts so much that her necklace had vanished somewhere in the depths of her cleavage.

Desiree laughed. "Ummm…I'm not even sure what it means, but the word 'bloopy' never came to mind. I was thinking more along the lines of 'knockout.'"

Penelope laughed. "Knockout? Are you kidding me?"

Desiree gave her a stern look. "Do I _look_ like I'm kidding you? Penelope, I'd kill for some of those thighs—"

_Some,_ Penelope thought. Not all.

"Or even all of them," Desiree finished. "God, I'm built like such a man. Not a curve in sight. Thank God Payton doesn't mind."

"Are you kidding me?" Penelope asked incredulously. "You're gorgeous."

"My _face_ is gorgeous," Desiree corrected, but the statement wasn't smug; it was matter of fact. "My body is boring. I'm the kind of woman men are attracted to once they get to know me. _You're _the kind of woman men go out of their way to get to know. Because you're sexy."

Penelope nearly burst out laughing. "I am _not_ sexy," she argued.

"Excuse me?" Sarah asked. "If you had any idea just _how _sexy you are and used it to your advantage, you'd have men knocking down your door."

"I don't—"

"You really would," Desiree agreed. "In droves."

"So you're…single?" Sarah asked.

When Penelope nodded, Sarah reached over and socked her sister on the arm. "And you put her in a room with Derek? Are you an idiot?" she asked.

"Derek's not interested in me," Penelope said quickly.

Sarah snorted. "I doubt that."

"I'm really not his type," she muttered.

"You are _exactly_ his type," Sarah informed her. "My brother likes lush. And you've got that going on in spades." She looked at Desiree and shook her head. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

Desiree sighed. "It's Payton's sister. Derek isn't going to sleep with Payton's sister. I warned him."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "You warned him? That's just going to make him want her even more! Do you know our brother _at all?"_

As the sisters argued, Penelope studied her image and tried to see what they saw, but she couldn't. Her breasts were too large, her waist non existent, and she still thought the dress was too snug on her hips. Maybe Desiree would let them take it out.

But her future sister in law sighed as she shook her head. "Knockout," she praised.

Or maybe not.

* * *

"So, we're going our separate ways tonight," Penelope commented as she hunted through her suitcase for something to wear tonight.

"We are?" Derek asked.

Penelope stood up and turned around. "Well, the bachelor/bachelorette parties are tonight," she reminded him.

"Right. But I'm hanging with the ladies," he told her with a grin.

"You are?" Penelope asked in surprise, and maybe a bit of glee. She was still deciding.

Her sexy roommate nodded. "This is the first time I've seen my sister in eight months. And as fantastic as I'm sure your brother is I want to spend time with my mother and sisters. I probably won't see them again for _another_ eight months."

Penelope nodded in understanding. "Yes, well…if I was sure the men hadn't hired a stripper, _I'd_ probably be hanging with them."

Derek chuckled. "They didn't. Your brother put a ban on all exotic dancing for the night."

Penelope frowned. "How boring do you think my brother and your sister are? No strippers for their send-offs into marriage, they forbid us to sleep together…" she let her voice trail off suggestively. Penelope was very well aware that she was playing with fire, but she couldn't help it. In this moment, she felt like a pyromaniac. After the exchange between Sarah and Desiree earlier, she had to know if Derek found her at all tempting. Sure, he'd made the mistletoe comment last night, but she knew men. When they were drunk enough, anyone would do. Had that been the case, or had he been genuinely attracted to her? She desperately wanted to know.

* * *

"Come on," Desiree pled with Sarah. "Just one shot. Derek's driving."

Derek practically scowled at the comment. Normally, he wouldn't mind so much being the designated driver. But tonight it meant he was more alert…and the number of men checking out the one woman in this bar that _he_ couldn't have was wild.

He was standing back to the bar, his elbows resting on the counter as he studied the object of his desire. She was currently on the dance floor in a skirt that was much too short for his liking. Oh, it was perfect for _some_ situations…say…a quickie, where he could push the damn thing up, shove her panties to the side, thrust inside of her and get them both off in under a minute. It was perfect for _that. _But not _this_. Not for her out on the dance floor shakin' her booty like it was nobody's business—especially his.

_That_ thought was solidified when a man seemingly came out of nowhere and wrapped his arms around Penelope from behind.

Derek's entire body went on alert and he straightened, prepared to battle for what should be his.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter!**

Derek's cousin, Gina, and her girlfriend, Janette had dragged Penelope out onto the dance floor immediately upon arrival to the little pub in downtown Chicago. The only thing that stopped them was an occasional shot at the bar—which was where Sarah and Desiree were right now. Penelope tried not to look in their direction. She'd _been_ looking all night; Derek hadn't strayed from his spot at the bar. For someone who was reputed for being such a Casanova, he sure was turning a lot of women away. At her last count, he could've purportedly gotten laid somewhere in the vicinity of six times now. But he'd driven them all away with nothing but a glower.

He was probably annoyed that he had to share a hotel room with her. If he'd had one all to himself, he'd at least have been able to bring one of them home with him. If Sarah wasn't crashing with her mother, then Penelope could have asked to spend the night in her room. But it would've been too awkward to explain to Derek's mother that she was sharing her room because her son was getting some.

She didn't dare to ask Gina and Janette if she could bunk with them for fear that she'd end up being propositioned for something freaky—especially after Gina's comment about her 'smokin' hot bod' last night. Derek was just going to have to make do with sharing his room. It was only for three more nights, and then he could have all the sex he wanted.

Penelope was still dancing when she felt a pair of hands take hold of her hips. That was fine—until his arms snaked around her waist and he pulled her close. Penelope stiffened, uncomfortable with the advance. She tried to turn around, but the man just pulled her closer…against his obvious arousal. She struggled to step forward, but his grip only tightened.

She turned a pleading look towards the bar only to find that Derek was already stalking towards her. Before he could reach her, however, the man's hold loosened and he stumbled backwards. Penelope's head whipped around in time to see Derek's cousin struggling for breath from obvious pain.

"Gina!" she said incredulously, a gaping look on her face.

The other woman held her hand up to study it; the flesh around her knuckles was already swelling.

"What the—no, no, no!" Penelope said, planting herself directly in Derek's path. His stride was purposeful, his entire body radiating fury. She watched as his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. "Derek—"

"Get out of my way," he growled, as she set her hands on his shoulders.

"A little help here," Penelope cried shrilly.

Four other females rushed forward and it took all of them helping Penelope to hold Derek back. "If I were you, I'd fucking run," Janette yelled over her shoulder.

The man who'd made Penelope his main objective, who had just seconds before been spoiling for a good fight, took one look at Derek's expression and disappeared.

"Hey!" Desiree said, trying to get her brother's attention. "Derek!"

He looked down at her, the rage in his eyes barely diffusing.

"Put the caveman away and chill out," she instructed.

Derek sighed and stepped back, allowing Penelope, his sisters, and the rest of his family to relax.

Sarah looked sideways at Penelope. "You're right," she said in a low, sarcastic voice so only the other woman could hear her. "He's not into you at all."

* * *

They headed back to the hotel and finished off their night at the bar there. It was smaller than the one downtown, and not nearly as eventful. They'd all dropped the subject of the earlier incident in favor of making Desiree's night out a fun one. At around twelve-thirty, the gentlemen's party joined them and the dancing and drinking continued until the bar closed, then they all headed to their designated rooms. When Penelope and Derek reached theirs, he immediately grabbed a pair of boxers from his suitcase and then headed for the bathroom without a word.

"You OK?" he asked a little while later when he walked into the room.

_Am I OK?_ she wanted to ask. She was definitely _not_ OK. He was like live sex standing there in front of her wearing his boxers, and the fact that he was off limits only served to boost his appeal. "Fine," she lied, as she disappeared into the bathroom with her nightclothes.

When she returned to the room, she was wearing another new nighty. This one was the same style as the one she'd worn the night before, but instead of being black with mistletoe on it, it was bright red with white snowflakes. Who knew that snowflakes could be so damn alluring?

He returned to his book, hoping it would be that easy. It wasn't.

"You knew," she said as she sat down on the edge of her mattress facing him.

He gave her a puzzled look.

"I didn't even have to ask for your help; you already knew I needed you," she repeated.

He put his book down. "That's because I was watching you," he told her.

"Y—you were watching me tonight?" she asked in surprise.

He nodded. "Do you any idea how many men in that bar were checking you out?" he asked irritably.

Penelope laughed nervously. "Probably just the one," she muttered.

"No," he said firmly. "_More_ than the one. You didn't notice them?"

She shook her head. "I only noticed you," she said without thinking. Her cheeks immediately began blazing as soon as she spoke. There really was no saving herself from this one…and she didn't even want to try.

* * *

It turned Derek on to know that her attention had been on him. Was this woman really so oblivious to her own sex appeal? She had it in spades, and she had no idea. She sat there for a moment unspeaking, and he assumed it meant their conversation was over. So he reached for his Kurt Vonnegut book again.

"Were you going to try and talk me into bed tonight?"

Only to almost drop it. "Excuse me?" he asked in disbelief, his gaze immediately returning to her.

"Did you have any intention of trying to sleep with me tonight?" she pressed.

"Penelope, no bones have been made about the fact that my very life depends on _not_ sleeping with you," he reminded her dryly.

She tilted her head to the side and studied him for a moment before speaking again. "Because that's what my brother wants. But…what about what _I_ want?" she asked coyly.

Derek returned her gaze for a moment; the desire in her eyes made it very clear what she wanted, but dammitt! He couldn't have her. He _wouldn't_ have her! Desiree never asked him for anything, but she'd asked him for _this_. Surely he could give her this. "Stay on the mattress," he warned.

"OK," she agreed, pulling her legs up onto the bed.

Derek returned to his book once again, working intently to keep his concentration on the words before him. But when Penelope's nightdress landed on his head with a whoosh, it was obvious that he was fighting a losing battle.

He hastily pulled the nightgown off his head and opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. She was up on her knees on the bed wearing nothing but a sexy grin and…matching panties?

Oh, fuck.


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story. **

**When I tried to reply to a few people, your PM feature was disabled and it's not normally. I'm not sure if you meant to do this, or if it's one of those things that happened as a result of mail landing in your spam box, so I just wanted to let you know!**

**This chapter sort of got away from me and didn't exactly go where I thought it was going to, but I think it was fun, anyway! I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! - Angie**

Derek tried not stare—he really did, but it just wasn't working. Penelope was sitting there with a sultry grin on her face, her eyes already shadowed with desire. As remarkable as that image was, it was her body that demanded his attention. Her blonde curls fell down over her shoulders, stopping just above her breasts; it didn't escape his notice that her nipples were already taut. He swallowed past the sudden lump of yearning in his throat as his gaze travelled down her belly. He could just see the soft cluster of curls peeking out from her red snowflake covered panties—barely there panties that were already moist in anticipation. He lifted his eyes to her hers again before dragging them down over her body, then repeated the exploit a few more times before a knock at the door jarred him from his gaping.

"Penny?" They heard Payton say softly.

When she heard her brother's voice, Penelope's eyes immediately widened. "Oh, no!" she whispered urgently, looking around frantically.

Luckily Derek was trained in such matters. Well, not exactly _such_ matters, but he _had_ been schooled over and over again in how to react in pressing situations; his common sense once again served him well. He sprung out of bed and threw Penelope's nightdress at her. She started to pull it on over her head, but he grabbed it form her. "No time!" he reprimanded, thrusting the article up under her pillow. "Get under the covers!" he instructed.

"But—"

"If your brother walks in here and sees you like…" He swept an arm in her direction. "_This—_my man parts are as good as gone, and I happen to like them exactly as they are," he hissed. "Now get under the covers and pretend you're asleep!"

The look he gave her was so authoritative that Penelope did as he'd told her to do, pulling the covers up to her chin and facing away from the door so Payton wouldn't be able to see her face. She was sure her cheeks were flaming red.

Derek grabbed a t-shirt from his bag and pulled it on over his head as he made his way to the door. With one last glance at Penelope to ensure she was securely under the covers, he pulled the door open a crack. "Hey," he said to Payton in his best 'I'm not going to sleep with your sister voice.' "What's goin' on?"

"I just came to check on my sister," Payton said, trying to move into the room.

Derek stepped to the side, effectively blocking him. "She's asleep," he whispered.

"Well, is she OK?" Payton pressed.

Derek shrugged. "Oh, yeah. I think that creep might have made her a little anxious. She probably just needs a good nights sleep," he commented.

Payton nodded in agreement. "OK," he said. "Well—thanks for keeping an eye on her tonight."

Derek nodded, feeling like a heel. His eyes had been on her alright—all _over_ her. "No problem," he said.

"I'll see you at breakfast," Payton said, turning to go.

It took every ounce of Derek's strength to close the door gently. Then he locked it and turned around. As soon as he did, Penelope threw the blankets down to her waist and flew up in bed. He was greeted with the sight of her breasts again; this time they were swaying from side to side in the most marvelous way. "Is he gone?" she asked breathlessly.

"He's gone," Derek confirmed, purposely keeping his eyes locked on hers. _Do not look directly at them_, he tried coaching himself. "Put your nighty back on," he commanded, leaning against the door. Distance was good, and this was as far away as he could get from her and still remain in the room. But her body was so damn persuasive, he was beginning to wonder if the hotel lobby would even be far enough away from her.

She shook her head. "It's too…constrictive," she announced.

"Penelope, I swear to God—"

"But if I have it on, I can't do _this_." She lifted her arms out to her side and shook her upper body back and forth.

Derek groaned. Was she _really_ doing this to him? "I think maybe _I_ should have been the one who was warned about _you_," he growled.

She grinned at him. "Yes, but I appear to be all innocence."

"Woman, the way you look right now is anything _but_ innocent," he informed her.

"Just kiss me," she pleaded. Her words were innocent enough, but then she returned to her former position on her knees, her hands splayed over her upper thighs, and all pretense of virtue vanished.

He shook his head firmly.

Penelope tilted her head to the side. "What's _one_ little kiss?" she asked.

"The start of something explosive," he answered.

She nodded her head as she moved to the edge of the mattress and then made her way to her feet. "I _like_ explosive," she disclosed huskily, slowly moving toward him.

He held up a hand. "Please," he rasped.

When she reached him, she grasped his wrist with her hand and moved it down to his side, then stepped forward so the tips of her breasts just touched the fabric of his t-shirt. She looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Did you know I've never had an orgasm that I didn't give myself?" she asked.

Derek licked his lips before he could answer her. "I…did _not_ know that," he said, barely able to get the words out.

She nodded fervently. "It's true," she assured him. "That's not to say I haven't been with men, because I've been with my fair share. But I've only ever climaxed…" She winced. "Under self-induced circumstances. What do you think that says about me?"

That was too much of a challenge for a man like Derek Morgan to ignore, so he tangled a hand in her hair and tugged her head backwards so their eyes met. "That you've been fucking the wrong men," he bit out before his lips came crashing down onto hers.

Her mouth parted underneath his immediately; his tongue thrust forth with every bit of pent up passion he'd been feeling since he'd walked into their hotel room to discover her perfectly shaped ass wobbling in the air. His hands moved to her cheeks as he tried to hold her still—he couldn't seem to kiss her hard enough.

His entire body tensed up when she lifted her hands to his waist, caressing his flesh with her delicate touch. Her hands roamed up over the corded muscles of his back until she was clutching his shoulders from behind, the motion crushing her breasts further against his chest.

In a fleeting moment of sanity, he pulled away. "Penelope—" he said, his breathing ragged.

"I've never had a one night stand before," she told him.

Sweet Lord, was she always so direct? "Are you sure you want to now?"

She shrugged a single shoulder, unknowingly batting her eyelashes at him. "Well, I was thinking that if we slept together tomorrow night, too…" She let her voice trail off suggestively.

Had Payton still been standing in the hallway, he would have heard Derek's shout of laughter.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: This is a pinch hit written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story. **

**I'm sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted, I'd hoped to have it done by now! I started it the other night, but then Dirty Dancing came on, and Johnny started sweet-talking Baby, and there was that hot scene with his back muscles, and then I just lost concentration. LOL Time just got away from me. But I've resolved to finish this story by the end of the month!**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews for the last chapter. I hope you like this one! - Angie**

Derek, thrilled at the prospect of having a _two_ night stand with her, buried his face in the curve between her neck and shoulder as he lifted her by the waist. She immediately wrapped her legs around him and he took the three short strides to his bed. There was no finesse to it—his knees hit the mattress and he went tumbling forward on top of her. Her breathless laughter was so damn sexy he didn't want to kiss her for fear she'd stop.

His gut told him that this was going to be a near perfect experience—and Derek's gut rarely failed him. He sat up, pulling his t-shirt off and tossing it aside; he had a desperate need to feel her skin against his.

* * *

Penelope took in the sight of him: broad shoulders, wide chest with just a sprinkle of dark hair, and chiseled abs. He was amazing standing before her in his boxers and then…oh, those were gone, too, exposing the longest and thickest erection she'd ever seen. Her eyes widened as her gaze travelled up his body to his face; his lips lifted in a knowing grin. "Like what you see?" he asked huskily. His arousal clearly stated that he did.

"You're amazing," she answered, barely able to speak.

"Right back at ya, Princess."

Penelope grinned back with what she hoped was a shameless expression. She could hardly believe it—she was actually in bed with a man she barely knew, and she'd done her part in seducing him. She'd actually taken charge of the situation—for a bit, anyway.

He leaned forward, capturing her lips with his, and then he did the most amazing thing. He started grinding his chest against hers. The friction between their bodies made her nipples harden instantly and Penelope broke the kiss, turning her head to the side with a gasp. "Oh," she groaned, lifting her hands to his arms, her nails digging into the skin on his biceps.

He dragged his body down hers until his face was level with her chest and took one of her taut peaks between his lips and sucked hard; she was certain her nails had drawn blood by now. It wasn't long before he moved on to the other one, and Penelope once again whimpered in delight, panting for breath.

She could already feel her body trembling beneath his.

* * *

She was so responsive that Derek was aching to get her off. He couldn't imagine any man being able to walk away before he'd had her writhing with bliss. Just the thought of her screaming his name had him throbbing even more. Leaving a path of moist kisses on her belly, he moved lower, and then hooked his fingers inside the waistband of her panties. "Better get these off before those snowflakes melt," he teased, pulling them down over her legs.

He returned to the spot between her thighs and paused. It was only a moment before she picked her head up off the bed, a questioning look on her face. "Ready for round one?" he asked in that deep, sexy voice of his.

Penelope nodded fervently, her head falling back against a pillow.

He leaned forward and placed his tongue just below her opening, then drew it up her slit. When his tongue brushed over her core, her hips lifted off the bed. "Derek," she shrieked.

He continued stroking her with his tongue, using a little more force each time. Then he circled her opening once, twice, three times, before his tongue dove inside of her and Penelope groaned.

"Oh, my _God_! What are you doing to me?" she gasped.

"Getting you ready," he answered.

"Derek, I _am_ ready," she insisted feverishly.

"Oh, Princess. You only _think_ you are," he disputed, returning to his task. He teased her center again until heat pierced her entire body, making her feel as if she could go up in flames at any moment. His lips surrounded her swollen core and he sucked hard; Penelope could feel the moisture seeping from her opening, but before she could give it another thought, his tongue was there to take care of it.

"Derek, _please_."

"Please what?"

"Make me come," she begged breathlessly. She knew what he was doing—he was taunting her…bringing her to the edge only to let her teeter there. He wanted her to know that he was _making_ this happen; it wasn't a stroke of luck. Not just anyone could do this to her—but _he_ could. And Penelope wanted him to make her come more than she wanted her next breath.

* * *

Derek settled his lower body between her thighs. "Are you sure you're ready?" he asked, his dark eyes locking on hers.

"Please," she reiterated, causing him to chuckle. Knowing he was going to be the first man who'd ever gotten her off was an invigorating feeling. He knew this wasn't to be taken lightly. He was about to change—at least he hoped—her total perspective on men.

Derek used the tip of his cock to stroke her just as he'd used his tongue, he moved up and down between her folds. Each time he neared her opening, Penelope bucked her hips off the bed trying to take him.

She fell back onto the mattress in resignation as he pulled away from her once again. "Derek?" she said abruptly.

"Yeah, Princess?"

"Would you have still wanted me? Even if you hadn't been warned away from me. Would you have still wanted me?" she asked, almost timidly.

This was so different from the Penelope he'd seen tonight that he couldn't let the question go unanswered. He lowered his head, his lips brushing tender kisses over her forehead, her cheeks, and her jaw. "I'd have still wanted you," he assured her softly, as he pushed inside of her.

Penelope's hips rose up off the bed until she'd taken all of him. "Oooooh," she groaned as he began to slide slowly in and out of her. "Faster, Derek," she commanded, her lower body keeping pace with his. Penelope's eyelids drifted shut as he increased the tempo, his desire to make her come overtaking him. He moved faster, harder until he felt her hands squeezing his shoulders. His body ached as he thrust in and out of her until he felt her clench around his throbbing length, spasms claiming her body. Her thighs tightened around him as she cried out his name, and Derek, unable to hold back any longer, burst inside of her.

* * *

Penelope sighed in pure pleasure. Derek had made her feel as if her body was turning inside out. When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her with a lazy grin on his face. He knew exactly what he'd done to her—_that_ was good. It meant he could do it again.

She laughed breathlessly. "You were right," she said, snuggling up to him. "I _have_ been fucking the wrong men."

He draped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "I told you so," he said in a teasing tone, lowering his lips to hers. He stroked her lower lip with his tongue, then kissed her softly before pulling away.

She sighed again as she lifted a hand to play with her hair. "I think maybe I've been _kissing_ the wrong men, too."


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: This is written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange. ****It's written especially for klcm****!**** The prompts were: Last Christmas (by WHAM!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Here's the next installment of Pen and Derek's little tryst. My favorite character (super possessive Derek) makes a cameo in this chapter. Enjoy...I sure did! LOL - Angie**

"You should see my badge. It's so…_big_," Penelope said exaggeratedly in her best Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan voice.

He chuckled as his hand wandered over her the soft curve of her hip. "That's not how I sounded. I sounded sexy and…sophisticated."

"What the hell _was_ that?" she asked in an amused tone.

"That was me trying to impress the hot chick sharing my room," he told her.

"Right," Penelope said dryly. "Because my _ass_ makes such a good impression."

"Hey," Derek said, reaching for their topic of conversation and giving it a light squeeze. "That happens to be one of my favorite parts of you. In fact, you know what I thought when I first saw that ass?"

"What?" Penelope asked suspiciously.

Derek gave her a lazy grin causing his eyes to squint and nodded his head. "That I wanted a piece of it."

Penelope gave him a light shove in the center of his chest and laughed as she rolled onto her back, then sat up and stood. "We need to get ready for breakfast," she announced, reaching out and grabbing his hand to pull him into a sitting position.

He let her pull him up with a sigh. "Can't we order room service?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"If you want Payton to come looking for us, sure!" she said brightly.

Derek sprung to his feet.

"That's what I thought," she said with a triumphant grin.

It was short lived as he seized her wrist and hauled her against his chest. "It's not your brother I'm afraid of," he informed her, his eyes smoldering as he looked down into hers, placing a sound kiss on her lips.

"Then what _are_ you afraid of?" she asked breathlessly, her fingertips curling against his warm chest.

"Not having you again tonight," he answered huskily, then turned and headed for the shower.

Penelope lifted a hand to her tingling lips as she watched him walk away, then turned to her bed. She hadn't slept in it last night, so all she really needed to do was pull the blankets up. She reached for the bedspread when the dark purple t-shirt Derek had been wearing last night captured her attention. She looked towards the bathroom—she could hear the shower running—and then reached for it. She picked the article of clothing up, studied the white Northwestern University logo in the center, then lifted it to her nose, inhaling deeply. She frowned; his scent was barely there, but then again, he'd only worn it for a few minutes. Without a second thought, she reached under her bed, pulled her suitcase out, and secured the t-shirt inside. It might be the only thing she'd have to remember him by. Once she'd zipped the suitcase back up, she went to join him in the shower.

* * *

"You guys are late!" Desiree said accusingly as they walked into the dining room.

"We're…sorry?" Derek said cautiously.

"I know why you're late!" she hissed.

"You do?" Penelope asked panicked, looking at the group of people standing there. Oh, God. They were all going to witness her humiliation when Desiree announced she'd been charmed by her older brother.

Desiree groaned. "It's because I'm turning into 'bridezilla' and you don't want to be near me. I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I don't mean to, but the wedding is tomorrow night, and I'm just…losing it a little. Now…bear with me for a few moments. Derek, stand next to Sarah," she commanded. "And Penelope…right here next to Marcus," she said, grabbing Penelope's upper arms and steering her into place. Then she took a step back and studied the various people paired before her. "No," she said to herself, then grabbed Penelope, dragged her over to stand beside Derek, and positioned Sarah next to Marcus. "_Much_ better. _This_ is our new marching order," she announced with a satisfied sigh, beaming as she looked at the group. She clapped her hands together once. "Now…who's up for breakfast?"

* * *

"Are you sure this isn't going to ruin the walls?" Desiree asked, looking around anxiously. Her brother's idea to hang up the garland twined with Christmas lights in their mother's hotel room had been thoughtful, but she didn't want to get billed because they'd damaged the walls putting things up.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Des, I got this stuff off the television, and they said that when you pull it down off the walls, it won't take the paint with it. It will all come down in one big clump."

Desiree sighed. "OK," she said doubtfully. "But hurry up. Mama will be back soon."

Derek hopped down off the chair and kissed his younger sister on the cheek. "If there's any thing wrong with this room when we leave, I'll fix it myself," he promised, his face softening. "You know how Mama loves Christmas."

"If you were as sweet with the women you date as you are with your sisters, _you_ could be married by now," Desiree informed him.

Derek groaned. "Why is no one razzing Sarah about not being married?"

"Uh…because Sarah's not banging everything that walks by," Desiree said dryly.

"I don't _bang_ everything that walks by," Derek said, defending himself. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Um…because we know you," Sarah said. "You, little brother, are a player."

Derek had earned his reputation while he'd been in college, and it had certainly been accurate then. In recent years, however, he'd gotten selective as to whom he'd sleep with. He didn't typically fall into bed with anyone before taking her out a few times. However, the blonde bombshell sharing his hotel room had him reverting to his old ways. Sure, the first thing that had drawn him to her was the fact that his sister had deemed her off limits, but then he'd laid eyes on those blushing cheeks as she'd looked him up and down. Then she'd opened her mouth. She'd been so flustered it had been adorable. But then he'd walked into their room early the next morning, and that…mistletoe silky thing had practically beckoned to him. How was a man supposed to resist a charming, sexy, funny woman?

He looked at his watch. "We'd better get out of here," he said.

"What's your hurry?" Sarah teased. "You excited to see your roommate?

"I—"

Before he could answer, Desiree was shaking her head. "It's not that. Penny's with Payton. They're at the airport."

"For what?" Derek asked before he could stop himself.

"He's picking up another groomsman. He said it was someone Penelope was _definitely_ going to want to see," she said.

"One of his brothers?" Sarah asked.

Desiree shook her head. "None of them could make it so close to Christmas."

Derek clenched his jaw; that twinge of jealousy that had assaulted him in the bar the previous night pulsed through his entire being this time. He didn't like this feeling, yet he'd had two bouts of it in as many days. He wondered if he could get vaccinated.

* * *

Penelope yawned as she stepped off the elevator. It was almost eleven o'clock and she was exhausted. Derek had kept her up most of the previous night-that was by _no_ means a complaint—and then Payton had insisted she come with him to the airport today to pick up another groomsman. She hadn't even given a second thought as to why_ she _needed to be there…she'd been too busy cursing him for monopolizing her time. She only had this last night to be with Derek, and Payton wanted her to go to the airport?

And then she'd seen him…Paxton, her youngest brother (still older than she was) who'd been serving his country in Afghanistan for the past eight months. After several bear hugs and shrieks of excitement (on Penelope's end,) the siblings had gone out to dinner to get caught up. Time had gotten away from them, and only when Desiree had called had they realized what time it was and headed back to the hotel. Her keycard was poised above the lock when the door flew open and Derek dragged her into the room.

"Wha—" Before she could finish, he lowered his lips to hers in a quick, rough kiss.

When he pulled away, she gave him a puzzled look as she took off her coat and then hung it up in the closet. She turned back around to his piercing stare. "Where did you go?" he asked softly.

She studied his face for a moment, sure that the tone he'd used was a hoax. And his sitting position on the bed, though casual, seemed to be forced. "You're not…" _No._ He couldn't possibly be. But there was no other way to describe the look on his face. "_Jealous_, are you?" she finally finished.

"No," he said firmly.

"Good. Because…we don't know each other well enough for you to be jealous."

"I'm possessive," he corrected.

Penelope lifted a brow, neglecting to point out that the two words were synonyms. "Pretty possessive over something that doesn't belong to you."

His eyes never left her, his stare so intense she had to remind herself not to fidget. "I'm the only man who's ever gotten you off. _I'd_ say you belong to me."

"I _belong _to you when we're in bed," she informed him primly.

He stood up, lifted her into his arms, walked over to his bed and dropped her on his mattress. "Like I said…"


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: This is written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange.****It's written especially for klcm!****The prompts were: Last Christmas (by Wham!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter! - Angie**

"Well, the technical analysts where _I_ work aren't nearly as hot as you are," Derek declared the next morning. And then, with a chuckle, "If they were, I'd know a hell of a lot more about computers. I've barely figured out my Blackberry."

"Yeah, those Blackberries are a bitch," Penelope agreed with a grin. "The iPhone is a much better choice."

"I'll make sure I bring that up to the bureau," he said dryly.

"In your line of work, it's essential that you have the most up to date equipment," she insisted.

"I miss my RAZR," he admitted. "All I had to do was flip the damn thing open when it rang."

Penelope laughed, and they lay there for a moment in silence. She was on her back staring at the ceiling while Derek was lying next to her on his side, his thigh possessively slung over hers. "I wonder how Payton and Desiree are doing without each other," she speculated aloud. That had been why she'd gotten in at eleven last night; Payton had needed to see Desiree before midnight when he would be banned from seeing her until the wedding. She didn't even want to know why. She hoped it was wedding details, but she'd had her doubts.

"T minus…" Derek lifted his head to look at the clock on the nightstand between their beds. "Ten hours," he finished.

Penelope grinned widely at him. "In ten hours, we're going to be related," she said with a giggle.

Derek frowned. "Well, damn," he said softly, cupping her hip with his hand and pulling her up onto her side. "We'll have to get some more frolicking in before then."

* * *

"There's a change in the…lineup thingy," Payton announced.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked as his gaze narrowed. When Desiree had rearranged things yesterday morning before breakfast so that he'd been marching with Penelope, he'd thought he'd hit the jackpot. What the hell had his sister gone and done now?

"Penny's marching with Pax, and Derek, you'll be marching with Sarah," Payton announced.

Derek had to bite his tongue so he wouldn't say anything—his stupid 'bridezilla' sister. This morning had been the last time he'd see Penelope alone. They'd certainly made the most of it, but it didn't mean it had been enough.

They'd decided against trading numbers—well, _she _had. Translation…he'd been a great lay, but she wasn't interested in anything more. She'd assured him that it was because long distance things never worked, but he knew better. Now that she'd gotten off (not solo, he was proud to say,) she wanted to go out and have all kinds of sex. And dammitt, that pissed him off! She shouldn't be having sex with anyone but him!

He wasn't stupid enough to think he was in love with her; he didn't know her well enough for _that_. But he _was_ crazy about her. It was the closest he'd ever gotten to love, and he wasn't even sure how it had happened; he'd only known her for a few days. She was such a refreshing change from the 'yes, women' he usually ended up dating. She didn't tell him what he wanted to hear. She stuck to her guns. In fact, he could still picture her flying up out of bed when he'd walked in with Gina and Janette, giving them 'the warning' that seemed to be so prevalent during this series of events. And the sight of her in nothing but those snowflake panties sauntering up to him and telling him she'd never been brought to climax by a man before was still vivid in his mind.

When Paxton turned to stare at him, Derek realized he'd chuckled at the thought and immediately sobered. The last thing he needed was one of her damn brothers asking what he was laughing about. _You seductive, wildcat in bed sister._ He wondered which one would get to him first, fists flying. His money was on Paxton—the man was a brute.

* * *

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Penelope asked. The soft strains of _Last Christmas _by Wham! was on the radio, and she couldn't help but think that the song would have an entirely different effect on her next year.

Derek had suggested they exchange phone numbers, but she'd sidestepped the idea. She didn't want him to feel obligated to call her. But even more, she didn't want to be waiting by her phone in vain. If he didn't have her number, she wouldn't have to do that. Better to leave things like _this_.

"She asked where your bouquet was," Sarah answered, then frowned. "Are you OK?"

Penelope nodded as she pointed to the small table in the corner of the room. "It's right there," she muttered.

"You don't seem like yourself," Desiree remarked.

Penelope straightened, then plastered a fake smile on her face. "I'm fine," she insisted, deciding a change of subject was in order. "I was just…remembering Payton when he was younger. I can't believe he's getting married today."

Desiree grinned blissfully. "I'm awfully glad he is," she said softly.

* * *

"There's been another change in the order," Derek told Paxton.

Penelope's brother's eyes narrowed. "There has?" he asked suspiciously. "No one told me about another change."

Derek shrugged with what he hoped was a sorry look on his face. "My sister is so indecisive," he said."You'll be marching with Sarah." God, he hoped Desiree wouldn't kill him.

Paxton nodded, and Derek could tell he still wasn't sure if he believed him. "Look, I—"

The words died on Derek's lips as the bridesmaids walked into the lobby of the church. His eyes immediately landed on Penelope. She was stunning in her ice blue colored gown, her hair swept up in an elegant style. The scalloped v neck showed off her generous cleavage. There was a satin mocha colored ribbon a few inches above her waist, and the dress fell down over hips, clinging just so, before it cascaded to the floor. His breath caught in his throat, and he could feel Paxton's gaze on him. He grinned as he turned to the man. "I heard the color of the bridesmaids dresses were ice blue."

* * *

"You look gorgeous, Princess," Derek whispered as Penelope came to stand beside him.

"Why am I marching with you?" she returned in a hushed tone as the sound Pachelbel's Canon drifted towards them.

Derek shrugged. "Payton told me that there was a change in the order. I didn't ask questions," he answered. "You look gorgeous," he repeated.

Penelope frowned. "Did he clear it with Desiree?" she asked.

Derek sighed. "I didn't ask questions," he said again.

She nodded, and then smiled as she leaned towards him. "You clean up pretty nice yourself, Handsome," she whispered, taking in the sight of him in his custom fit tuxedo.

Derek grinned as Penelope linked her arm through his, giving his forearm a gentle squeeze. When it was their turn, they headed down the aisle in pace with the pair before them. As they reached the altar and went their separate ways, Derek realized it wasn't going to be so easy to watch Penelope Garcia go.


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: This is written in response to the CCOAC Christmas Fanfic Exchange.****It's written especially for klcm!****The prompts were: Last Christmas (by Wham!), Christmas Memory, Fairy Lights, & Mistletoe. All of them will be used in the story.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter! - Angie**

Assuming that all eyes were on the bride, Derek seized the opportunity to study Penelope. She was dazzling in her bridesmaid's dress. He didn't realize she could look just as sexy in clothes as she did out of them—of course, he _was_ thinking of peeling her out of it. Her gaze met his and he knew he was busted, but he didn't care—he lifted a single brow at her, giving her body a leisurely perusal; she reciprocated with a sultry grin and an almost imperceptible curtsy—to anyone else it would have looked like a slight shift in position. How was it this woman had captivated his attention in such a short time? She was standing right in front of him, and already thoughts of when—or _if_—he'd see her again were consuming him. She'd charmed the pants off him—literally, and now he was just supposed to let her go?

* * *

"Dancing with you like this is making me hot under the collar," Derek said, eyes dancing. He was officially in the clear. Desiree had told him that Payton had apparently dropped the ball as far as pairing the bridal party was concerned, but she wasn't going to say anything because she felt guilty for having been such a 'bridezilla.' Derek told her he thought that was a splendid idea.

"I know," Penelope agreed huskily. "It's the closest we've been able to be when there have been other people in the room." She looked around at the rest of the wedding party, also moving around the dance floor. She couldn't help but notice that Sarah certainly seemed to have captivated Paxton's attention.

Derek tightened his hold on her and pulled her closer.

She laughed breathlessly. "Do you have a death wish?" she asked teasingly.

Derek lifted an eyebrow at her. "Who's going to kill me? Every Garcia in this room is being charmed by a Morgan right now—no one's paying any attention to us."

She couldn't deny it. _She_ was certainly enthralled with Derek, Payton was concentrating on his bride, and as she'd observed before, Paxton had taken a distinct liking to Sarah. "Wow. You Morgan's are a fascinating lot," she said with a grin.

"That we are," he told her. "You know what else?"

"What?" she asked.

"We're fiercely loyal."

Penelope grinned. "Payton will be glad to hear that," she assured him.

Derek studied her face as he looked down at her, trying to commit every feature to memory. "Should we try to get in one last…?"

Penelope slapped him on the shoulder as she laughed throatily. "No!" she said firmly, as if she was trying to convince _herself_ as much as she was trying to convince him. "We're part of the wedding party. We can't just disappear. People would notice."

"Who would notice?" Derek argued. "Weddings make everyone giddy—everyone is focused on their significant other." He leaned forward and teased the curve of her neck and shoulder with the tip of his nose.

"Derek," she said breathlessly as a shiver ran down her spine. "Don't."

"Don't what? Don't stop?" he asked hopefully.

"Don't start," she warned him weakly.

He sighed as they continued moving over the dance floor in small steps. "Did you know that the Morgan men are renowned for being fiercely loyal to their wives?" he asked her.

Penelope cleared her throat, anxious as to where he was taking this. It had taken some time on her part to convince him that exchanging numbers wasn't a good idea. But she had a life to get back to in Boston. She didn't want to give him her number, and then wait by the phone for a call that might never come. "You mentioned that," she said cautiously.

Derek nodded enthusiastically. "Mmm-hmm. We're known all around Chicago for it—quite famous, really. There's something about the thought of finding that special someone that you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with, don't you think?"

"Sure," she agreed uncomfortably.

"To know that you're gonna be with someone who's going to love you forever, who _you_ get to love forever."

Penelope locked her eyes on his and studied them, absently moving her fingertips up and down the back of his neck. How was it that he was so completely opposite of what everyone thought? He hadn't acted like the player she'd been warned he'd was—except for the bit with the badge, but admittedly, she'd deserved that. He was a fantastic lover—not that she'd had any doubt about that, and he had been very candid with her from the moment they'd slept together. Leaving Derek Morgan wasn't going to be as easy as she'd originally thought.

* * *

Hours later, Penelope zipped up her suitcase, careful to avoid Derek's angry gaze. "This is stupid," he said, not for the first time. "We've had a fantastic time together," he reminded her.

"Yes, we have," she agreed. "But we both knew that it wasn't going to last."

"No, we _assumed_ it wasn't," he argued. "But now that we know each other better—"

She laughed humorlessly. "Now that we know each other…_what_? I live in Boston, and you live in Virginia." She reminded him, then sighed. "Derek, let's take this for what it was." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck; he stiffened. "This is going to be the best Christmas memory in history," she said, trying to coax the playfulness out of him.

"Penelope—"

"Is this how you want things to end?" she asked softly. "With us arguing?"

"I don't want them to end…_period_," he said angrily.

She dropped her arms and stepped back. "You know that's impossible."

"It's not."

"I know how much you love your job. Even if we did the long distance thing and it was amazing, would you want to move to Boston?" she asked.

He didn't say anything; he knew she had him. He did love his job, and it would be incredibly hard for him to leave it; it was something he couldn't even consider at this point. "Did you know that there's a serial killer called The Boston Reaper?" he asked abruptly. "And that he's never been caught?"

"I've heard all about The Reaper," she told him. "Derek, you're not going to _scare_ me out of Boston."

"Penelope—"

"_Stop. _I don't want you to ruin this for me…for _us_. I don't know about you, but for me, so far…things have been perfect." She lifted her eyes to his, pleading. "Now tell me goodbye and kiss me like you mean it."

He just stared at her unmoving.

"Kiss me," she repeated firmly.

He looked away and she stepped forward once again. Cupping the cheek furthest from her, she pulled his face down and placed a tender kiss on the other one. "Good bye," she whispered.

If he didn't kiss her goodbye, he was going to hate himself for it. He knew he was. But he was afraid that if he got one last taste of her, he wouldn't be able to let her go. So when she turned to leave, his hand shot out and snatched hers. Pulling her against his chest, her wrapped his arms around her and hugged her forcefully, lowering his head to her hair and inhaling deeply, letting her scent soothe him. "Good bye," he said softly.

***THE END…sort of***

**Author's Note: This obviously can't end here, so stay tuned for the sequel. Find out how fate throws Penelope and Derek together again as they find their happily ever after in ****A Valentine Rendezvous****. The first chapter will be posted on Valentine's Day. (Assuming I can hold out that long…lol) **

_**Angie**_


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